THANE: The sword of uncertainty looms large over several members of the Education Committee House of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC),
starting this week. A high level scrutiny into the entire process leading to the election of the current Education Committee as well as the members nominated to it by the state.
The civic headquarters has been witnessing hectic activity after the state team arrived in the civic headquarters for the purpose. Prakash Sale, an additional secretary in the state education department. led the team of officials, which included two Under Secretaries as well.
The state officials inspected the nomination papers of the Education Committee members and took them in their possession. The papers of the two nominated members to the Committee were also taken into possession before the team left for the state headquarters. The team is expected to scrutinise the papers before coming back to the civic headquarters for further inquiry on the subject.
The inquiry is underway in response to an order from the Mumbai High Court. The Court gave the orders on a petition filed by Vikrant Chavan, a member of the previous Education Committee House. The state has been directed to conduct the probe and take action within three months and report of it to the Court.
Earlier, the petitioner had alleged in his petition that the civic authorities misused their position to allow under qualified persons to stand in the fray for the 13 seats in the Education Committee House. Out of this, eight were from the open category, while five from reserved categories.
Chavan alleged in his litigation that some of the Education Committee members did not fulfill even the educational qualification for the honorary posts as prescribed in primary Education Rules 1949. Even the state, which nominated two members to the Education Committee House, also failed to meet the required criteria.
The petition also challenged the process in which the elections to the Education Committee House were held. It was claimed that the process has to complete within one month of its initiation, but the was completed the process within three months.
Objections were also raised on the manner in which polls to elect chairman and deputy chairman of the Education Committee were held. As per law, the elections are to take place in the presence of the candidates but Nandu More, the Congress candidate in the fray for the post of Deputy Chairman was absent at the time of the elections.
The court heard both the sides and passed an order on June 15. In its orders, the court passed serious strictures on the TMC. The court directed the state to examine the entire process within three months and take necessary action. The next hearing in the case is slated for September 14.
courtesy:www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
